[takahashi]

Hello. First post here!

Recently my watch started to behave strangely, stopping at 7.10pm most days. I realised it was low on energy so I charged it and re-set it according to the instructions.

Since then, the stopping at 7.10 has almost gone away (but not completely), but instead it *always* stops at approx 6.30am. This is a bit frustrating since otherwise it keeps perfect time.

I phoned a repairer here in the UK (watchdoctors.co.uk) and was given a price of £68 to fit a new movement. Although it's only a fairly basic watch I am quite attached to it so don't mind paying out. However, before I go ahead I was wondering if anything can be done to service or repair the movement to cure the stopping problem.

Thanks in advance for any advice or pointers.

 

[ricardopalamino]

Hi and welcome....How old is the watch and /or the battery . Does it do the low battery 2 second tick. Are there complications on the watch like a chronograph , alarm , radio control [AT] , day/date , etc. that may hang it up if the battery life is going ? I checked on the Citizen website and saw that the H500 is a chronograph . When it stops what do you do to restart it again ?

 

[takahashi]

Thanks for your quick reply .

I think it's about 5 or 6 years old. Unfortunately I don't have the guarantee booklet stamped. When it first started misbehaving it was stepping 2 seconds and the stop watch no longer worked. Date was OK though (just number, not day/date). I realised the 2 second thing was an indication of low charge so left it in the sun or under a lamp for a good long time to charge it and then I re-set for good measure. All works fine now, except for the stopping!

The watch has these features: 3 dials (stop watch minutes, 24 hour time, second hand), date at 4 o'clock and stop watch seconds on main dial. I can't post photos or a link as I'm a new user, sorry.

 

[ricardopalamino]

Hmmmm...I can think of 2 things . It's time for a battery/capacitor change . I've read the citizen user manuals and user input and I think those batteries last longer than a regular quartz battery [approx 2-3 years] , maybe between 5-8 years . I think a constant charge helps rather than storing the watch for a while .
The other thing that comes to mind is that maybe the hands touch at that time because the hands got tilted a tiny bit by possibly dropping the watch . I had a watch that would stop at a certain time because one dial foot was seated a little higher than the other and that had a tilt in the dial face so a hand would hit an index and hang up .
Hopefully some other members can offer some possible solutions also .

 

[Keninji Schmitt]

In my diving group, we have many Eco-Drives. The batterys live over 10 years. Those who have not been diving with this watch batteries over 15 years old and going strong, full charge, so I think there is more test you do with battery because if battery is defect or movement is defect, it has plastic gears, it will need replace.

Does watch start after you expose to light after stop at 630am or so?

If so battery is defect, solar cell is defect, to not hold charge, not give charge or can be you not give light exposure to fullest.

To be best safe, put watch to full bright sunlight for 11 hour or to florescent light 80 hour to be sure battery is full charge.

If watch still stop after battery full charge, problem is movement, charger or battery. Battery only is $40 US, not yet pay labor, H50 movement cost ~ $100 US. Charge £68 to change movement is good deal. Movement use plastic gears, may be not so quality, so if can change better to life longer with new movement.

So why watch die so soon? Do not let watch have no charge for long time with no charge, battery is to be damaged and not live long years. Better always top up every day, when not wearing watch leave in light in your house [ I use watch as clock on top of desk so it always have light when I do work] so get light some hours every day and can last > 15 years. Other problem with movement like gears or solar cells rare, but can be but most time is battery not getting time with light.

Thanks for your quick reply .

I think it's about 5 or 6 years old. Unfortunately I don't have the guarantee booklet stamped. When it first started misbehaving it was stepping 2 seconds and the stop watch no longer worked. Date was OK though (just number, not day/date). I realised the 2 second thing was an indication of low charge so left it in the sun or under a lamp for a good long time to charge it and then I re-set for good measure. All works fine now, except for the stopping!

The watch has these features: 3 dials (stop watch minutes, 24 hour time, second hand), date at 4 o'clock and stop watch seconds on main dial. I can't post photos or a link as I'm a new user, sorry.

 

[takahashi]

Thanks Ricardo and Ken.

Ricardo, I think you're right: I always assumed it was a mechanical issue once the watch was re-charged as it keeps excellent time otherwise. I've had a look at what happens at the times that it stops and it would appear that the second hand on the small dial at 6 o'clock is angled up ever so slightly. This means that when the hour hand on the main dial passes it the hands get locked together due to friction causing the watch to stop.

I think this will be a relatively trivial repair so I'll do it myself.

 

[ricardopalamino]

Aha !! We have a clue .... Don't forget to set the hour and minute hand at 12 midnight by turning the crown till the date just changes over . And also start , stop , and reset the chronograph before you set the main second hand . You can probably Zero that hand when the watch is running by following procedures in the users guide .
Let us know the progress...

 

[ricardopalamino]

Citizen H500

I've attached a screen shot of the Citizen support page for your watch .
You can go there to download the PDF's or look at the video...Good Luck

 

[takahashi]

I fixed it :grin:. When I took the movement out it was clear that the second hand had been rubbing against the hour hand as the former showed some signs of paint wear. A bit of gentle pressure and I was able to bend it more flat.

So, I've saved myself a bit of cash as the repair only cost me the price of a tool to take the back off. Very satisfying .

 

[jringo8769]

well great job....there is nothing more rewarding that being able to fix it yourself...i wear a eco drive citizen nighthawk almost every day and i love it...

 

[camrok]

Well done. Nothing more satisfying than repairing something you like on your own and succeeding.

 

[nzwatchdoctor]

Initially I thought it was the hands catching if it was doing it at the same time all the time.
Good job finding and fixing for free (and great alliteration from me:grin

 

[ricardopalamino]

Atta Boy...Way to go...